Lucy Gossage closing in on the lead in Britain’s ‘most brutal’ ultrarunning race

Multiple Ironman-winning triathlete Lucy Gossage is closing in on the lead in the women’s race at the Montane Winter Spine Race.

Gossage, who is an NHS oncologist and fundraising for MOVE, which aims to ‘use physical activity and exercise to improve the lives of people with cancer’, was a superb third on her debut last year in what is billed ‘Britain’s most brutal race’.

How the race has played out so far

This year’s 268-mile test started at 8am on Sunday from Edale in the Peak District in snowy and icy conditions but a big thaw means that wet and boggy terrain is now the challenge at they head to Kirk Yetholm on the English-Scottish border.

After 24 hours Gossage was 90 minutes behind pacesetter Robyn Cassidy who had stormed into the lead from the outset – but as Monday wore on things started to close up.

By the time they reached checkpoint three at Langdon just before dawn on Tuesday only 10 minutes separated them, with a huge gap back to Nikki Arthur in third.

Collison out on his own

Meanwhile there has been a big change near the front of the men’s race.

Eugeni Roselló Solé has retired from the race after slipping heavily on icy ground. The 2013 winner, who was runner up in 2017, had been in second place.

He was briefly replaced in that spot by American ultrarunning star John Kelly after he overtook Tiaan Erwee, Dave Phillips and Sam Skinner, who were running together.

However Kelly has now dropped back to sixth.

But still out on his own at the front is Kim Collison who leads by nearly four hours from Erwee, Phillips and Skinner.

Could this be the year for the 2024 Swiss Peaks Trail 360 winner, who has also triumphed in the Northern Traverse and Arc of Attrition but has DNF next to his name in each of his three Winter Spine attempts despite some strong starts?

You can watch the action unfold with the live tracker here.